Grate and fire-place



(No Model.)

Patented April 12,1881.

E. DQMERRIGK.

Grate and Fire Place.

1 UNITED- STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

EDWARD MERRIOK, OF NEW BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRATE AND FIRE-PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,035, dated April 12, I881.

- Application filed December 9, 1880. (N model.)

fication, Figure 1 is a front view of a fire-place with a high grate, illustrating my invention. 1 .1, i Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detached view of i one of i the poker bearings and raker Fig. 4, a section showing the invention applied to a lowdown grate. Fig. 5 is a view illustrating a combined grate and rake attachment; Fig. 6, a plan view of Fig.

" 5 Fig. 7, a section showing a modification.

A represents an ordinary fire-place, which may be provided with a high or low-down grate,

B, a high grate being shown in Figs. 1 and 2, Where the bars are of an L shape, forming a basket for the fire.

My improved raking attachment consists of a series of blades, a, connected by one or more bars, b, or in any other suitable manner, and arranged and combined with devices whereby the said blades may be carried up either vertically or swinging upon a center between the bars of a grate, so as;to lift and loosen the cinders and permit the the, dust, and ashes to pass downward to thevault, ash-pan, or space below the grate. Different modes of constructing and operating the raker attachment may be employed, depending somewhat upon the character and arrangement of the grate.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have represented a shield, G, which may be a permanent fixture- -as, for instance, when the ashes are to be dumped into a vault; or it may be detachable, constructed to cover the lower front portion of the fire-place, and provided at its lower edge with a register or movable portion, D, of any suitable construction, whereby air may be permitted to pass through the shield to the grate. In Fig. 7 the movable part of the shield constitutes the front of an ashpan, the upper portion, 0, hanging to the grate-pars, as shown. Then this improved shield is used in connection with the raking device the bar I) may rest in bearings on the shield, and maybe provided with a permanent or detachable handle, E, whereby to rock the bar and its blades. Where the shield is made of sheet-iron it is strengthened and adapted to support the attachment by castmetal braces I, having bearings to receive the bar b.

It is common with low down grates to introduce the air for the grate through an inlet arranged below the grate and communicating with the ash-vault. This is very desirable, for it is difficult to properly supply the fire with oxygen by admitting air from the room; but heretofore the use of such external communicationswith high grates has been objectionable because of the puffs of wind blowing ashes into the room. By applying a shield, either of the curved form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or straight, as shown in Fig. 4, I am enabled to use the supply of air entering through a passage, w,from without, and yet avoid the blowing of ashes into the room, the only effect of an entrance of air being to create a better draft and carry the dust to the chimney. By this means I can supply air to a high grate when the front is covered completely by a shield.

To prevent the evil results of too strong an indraft, I provide the inlet 00 with a sliding or hinged damper, t, and use a connecting-rod or other appliance, u, whereby to adjust it from in front of the grate.

The shield G, in connection with the raking attachment, and with a register or door, D, has the further effect of permitting the fire to be raked without scattering any dust, the register being closed during raking, which is thus performed while the whole front of the grate is covered. After the fire is raked the register D may be opened to permit air to pass to the grate when the back opening, 00, is not used, or in connection with the back current.

Ipropose to combine with the shield (J a plate, to, arranged to leave an air-space between it and the shield, thereby protecting the front plate from the action of the fire, and preventing injury to the plating. (See Figs. 2 and 4.)

It will be apparent that by combining the 3 raking attachment with the detachable shield the latter may be applied'to the grate and the fire raked Without permitting the escape of ashes to the room. The raking device may be used in connection with low-down grates, Fig. 5, proper bearings being arranged for the pivots of the raker, and the arm E extending from the raker upward to any accessible point.

Instead of pivoting the blades as described, they may be hung centrally between arms F F, pivoted either to the frame 0 of the grate B, when a frame is used, or to any suitable part of the fire-place, or to the grate itself, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the arms projecting upward or outward, and being provided with a cross bar,f, which connects them, and by means of which they maybe simultaneously vibrated, so as to carry the blade up and down between the grate-bars in a vertical line. The vibrating raker may have its bearings upon the frame of the grate B by providing the latter with recessed projections t to receive the bar or trunnions b of the raker, Figs. 4 and 5; and the frame may also be provided with trunnions d, whereby the grate may be hung in the detachable or permanent frame 0 of the fire-pot, so as to be dumped to discharge the ashes.

It will be noted that in each construction described there is but little friction to overcome in raking. The bearings for the raker are away from the fire,so as not to become heated or warped, and it will be apparent that they may be upon any suitable frame capable of being applied to the grate, or supported near the latter during the time of rakin g, and then removed.

I am aware that it has been proposed to provide blowers with registers, and also that the 7 back air-inlets of fire-places have been provided with valves and operating appliances;

but in my above-described fire-place the combination of these elements permits the air. to be admitted both to the front and back of the fire, so as to secure the best combustion, while the air may be admitted freely atthe back Without blowing the ashes into the room, yet the air from the room adjacent to the floor is drawn into the fire-place, securing a good ventilation.

Although I have illustrated a grate and raking attachment in connection with the shield and fire-place, I do not here claim these features, as they may form the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent.

I claim- 1. Afire-place provided with an opening communicating with the external air, a valve, and

operating appliances, in combination with a front covering-shield provided with a register, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in-a fire-place, of a grate,

air'inlet, and valve, a closed front, ralrer, and

appliances substantially as described, whereby the raker may be operated without uncovering the front, as set forth.

3. The combination of a grate and a shield, 0, having bearings for the trunnions of a raker constructed and arranged as described, to permit the raker to be turned up between the grate-bars, and also downward away from the ED WARD D. MERRIOK.

Witnesses:

A. BOSTWIGK, BENJ. WILDE.

, Qorreotipn of Letters Patent No. 240,035.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 240,035, granted April 12, 1881, to

; Edward D. Merrick, for an improvement in Grate and Fire Place, the word fine, in line 35, on page 1, of the printed specification attached to and forming a part of said Letters Patent, Was erroneously printed fire, also that a commawas erroneously nserted aft-er said Word; that the proper corrections have been made in the files and records pertaining to the ease in the Patent Office, and'are hereby made in said Letters Patent. v

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 23d day of April, A. D. 1881.

[SEAL] A. BELL,

Acting Secretary of the Interior.

Gountersigned E. M. MARBLE,

Commissioner of Patents. 

